Lil gun for 300bo

Chainsaw. · December 11, 2016, 09:20 PM

So Ive cast a bunch of lyman .309 cal bullets for my 30-30 and 300bo. Hodgdon shows Lil gun at ~13-14 grains for about 1500-1800 fps. So two questions given lil gun gets bit of a bad rap. One, is it to "hot" for lead bullets. Two, will it foul up the gas block/tube/etc enough that I don't want to use it?

Whisper 300 · December 12, 2016, 10:56 AM

Don't know if it helps you but I use a lot of Lil'Gun in my Whisper BUT it is a bolt and all subsonic loadings.
I find it works quite well with 220 to 240 gr. bullets kept around 1050 to 1100 fps.
Will not quote a specific loading but it is consistent with small variations in velocity and does not seem excessively "dirty" .
Clean up seems to be on par with H110 or IMR4227

Good luck.

gojuice101 · December 13, 2016, 10:20 AM

I load both lightweight supersonics and heavyweight subs with Lil'gun (jacketed and lead). It works fine with both. Also, after many, many rounds, I've never noticed any excessive fouling due to Lil'gun.

A good powder for 300BLK. However, it took more testing and tweaking than usual to get my 300BLK to cycle reliably with subsonics (16" barrel, carbine gas system). Supersonics worked flawlessly.

stagpanther · December 13, 2016, 11:05 AM

I assume you're going heavy with the bullet weight? (you didn't say). Lil'gun works fine though it can leave some residue behind--and also creates some of the best fireballs at the muzzle for burning powder catching up with the bullet at the muzzle. : ) For smaller faster loads I go H110

A pause for the COZ · December 13, 2016, 11:14 AM

Here is what I use for Supersonic loads.

Cast loads RL-7, H110
Jacketed target loads H110

Jacketed 125gr SP hunting loads. LiL Gun

Lil gun is awesome you get a free 100 Fps of speed for the same load weight.
Not needed so much for target shooting. But I wont turn it down for hunting.

Chainsaw. · December 13, 2016, 11:56 AM

Good catch Stagpanther. Ill mostly be running cast/coated/GCed 180 grain bullets with the purpose of hunting apples and soda cans. Will be at moderate speeds. I have some decent loadings for subs and supers in other powders but have many pounds of lil gun laying around so wanted to put it to good use. Fireballs sound nice, its chilly around here lately

stagpanther · December 13, 2016, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Good catch Stagpanther. Ill mostly be running cast/coated/GCed 180 grain bullets with the purpose of hunting apples and soda cans. Will be at moderate speeds. I have some decent loadings for subs and supers in other powders but have many pounds of lil gun laying around so wanted to put it to good use. Fireballs sound nice, its chilly around here lately

Lil'gun is great for pistol/revolver cartridges (at least I like it)--it can leave some "stuff" behind which some think may possibly corrode--but I usually clean after every session so I don't worry about. Very versatile powder IMO.

December 11, 2016, 09:20 PM	#1
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Lil gun for 300bo So Ive cast a bunch of lyman .309 cal bullets for my 30-30 and 300bo. Hodgdon shows Lil gun at ~13-14 grains for about 1500-1800 fps. So two questions given lil gun gets bit of a bad rap. One, is it to "hot" for lead bullets. Two, will it foul up the gas block/tube/etc enough that I don't want to use it? __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

December 13, 2016, 11:05 AM	#4
stagpanther Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2014 Posts: 11,771	I assume you're going heavy with the bullet weight? (you didn't say). Lil'gun works fine though it can leave some residue behind--and also creates some of the best fireballs at the muzzle for burning powder catching up with the bullet at the muzzle. : ) For smaller faster loads I go H110 __________________ "Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill *I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk!*

December 13, 2016, 11:14 AM	#5
A pause for the COZ Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2012 Location: Braham, Minnesota Posts: 1,314	Here is what I use for Supersonic loads. Cast loads RL-7, H110 Jacketed target loads H110 Jacketed 125gr SP hunting loads. LiL Gun Lil gun is awesome you get a free 100 Fps of speed for the same load weight. Not needed so much for target shooting. But I wont turn it down for hunting. __________________ NRA life member. US Army veteran, 11 Bravo.

December 13, 2016, 11:56 AM	#6
Chainsaw. Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2015 Location: Issaquah WA. Its a dry rain. Posts: 1,774	Good catch Stagpanther. Ill mostly be running cast/coated/GCed 180 grain bullets with the purpose of hunting apples and soda cans. Will be at moderate speeds. I have some decent loadings for subs and supers in other powders but have many pounds of lil gun laying around so wanted to put it to good use. Fireballs sound nice, its chilly around here lately __________________ Just shoot the damn thing.

December 12, 2016, 10:56 AM	#2
Whisper 300 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2006 Posts: 155	Don't know if it helps you but I use a lot of Lil'Gun in my Whisper BUT it is a bolt and all subsonic loadings. I find it works quite well with 220 to 240 gr. bullets kept around 1050 to 1100 fps. Will not quote a specific loading but it is consistent with small variations in velocity and does not seem excessively "dirty" . Clean up seems to be on par with H110 or IMR4227 Good luck.

December 13, 2016, 10:20 AM	#3
gojuice101 Member Join Date: January 2, 2015 Location: Spotsylvania, VA Posts: 31	I load both lightweight supersonics and heavyweight subs with Lil'gun (jacketed and lead). It works fine with both. Also, after many, many rounds, I've never noticed any excessive fouling due to Lil'gun. A good powder for 300BLK. However, it took more testing and tweaking than usual to get my 300BLK to cycle reliably with subsonics (16" barrel, carbine gas system). Supersonics worked flawlessly.